1. Field
This disclosure relates to a conductive paste, and an electronic device and a solar cell including an electrode formed using the conductive paste.
2. Description of the Related Art
A solar cell is a photoelectric conversion device that transforms solar energy into electrical energy. Solar cells have attracted much attention as a potentially infinite and pollution-free next generation energy source.
A solar cell includes p-type and n-type semiconductors. When an electron-hole pair (“EHP”) is produced by light absorbed in a photoactive layer of the semiconductors, the solar cell produces electrical energy by transferring electrons and holes to the n-type and p-type semiconductors, respectively, and then collecting the electrons and holes in electrodes of the solar cell.
A solar cell desirably has as high efficiency as possible for producing electrical energy from solar energy. In order to improve this efficiency, the solar cell desirably absorbs light with minimal loss so that it may produce as many electron-hole pairs as possible, and then collects the produced charges without significant further loss.
An electrode may be fabricated by a deposition method, which requires complicated processes, can have high costs, and can take a long time. Accordingly, a simpler process, such as screen printing a conductive paste including conductive materials has been suggested. However, an electrode formed using a conductive paste may have low conductivity because of a non-electroconductive glass frit included in a conductive paste. Thus there remains a need for an improved conductive paste.